This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Modern vehicles typically include an axle assembly having a housing and a differential assembly. The housing includes a cavity into which the differential assembly is positioned. The differential assembly is rotatably supported by the housing within the cavity. The differential assembly is mechanically coupled to the vehicle engine by a drive shaft. The differential assembly is also coupled to the vehicle drive wheels via a pair of axle shafts. The differential assembly regulates drive torque between the axle shafts, thereby permitting the shafts to rotate at different velocities as when one of the drive wheels is slipping or when the vehicle is turning.
Modern automotive vehicles frequently include systems, such as ABS, traction, and stability control systems, that identify wheel slip conditions and responsively control the vehicle (e.g., engine, transmission, braking system) to reduce or eliminate wheel slip in certain instances. In such systems, a sensor is typically employed to sense the speed of a wheel or another component, such as the axle shaft, that has the rotational speed of the wheel.
Typically, wheel speed sensors have been installed at the axle shaft ends nearest to the wheels. While such arrangements are suited for their intended purpose, they are nonetheless susceptible to improvement. For example, an arrangement that does not employ a forged or sintered metal sensor mounting boss would eliminate a part, eliminate a welding process, and reduce assembly time. Accordingly, while typical wheel speed sensing assemblies may perform adequately, a need exists for an improved drive axle assembly and wheel speed measurement system that is less complex, provides for easier installation, and results in accurate measurement of actual wheel speed.